Top government officials meet over alleged $25 billion contract scam in NNPC

Some top government officials and close associates of President Muhammadu Buhari have reportedly held a meeting over the alleged $25 billion contract deals currently rocking the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

The alleged contract scam surfaced after the minister of state for petroleum resources, Ibe Kachikwu, in a leaked letter to President Buhari dated August 30, accused the Group Managing Director (GMD) Dr. Maikanti Baru of insubordination and corruption.

The alleged contract scam surfaced after the minister of state for petroleum resources, Ibe Kachikwu, in a leaked letter to President Buhari dated August 30, accused the Group Managing Director (GMD) Dr. Maikanti Baru of insubordination and corruption.

The minister had said Baru circumvented extant procurement regulations in awarding a series of contracts up to $25 billion, or N9 trillion at prevailing exchange rate of N360 to a dollar, warning of grave consequences the decisions could cause if allowed to stand. The letter which appeared on the internet on Tuesday, October 3, has generated outrage among political commentators who have called for the President Buhari to act. Sahara reporters in a tweet on Friday, October 6, stated that some close allies of the president have met over the alleged scam that has questioned the anti-corruption campaign of the current regime.

According to the online media, those who attended the meeting included, Mamman Daura, the influential nephew of President Muhammadu Buhari, Isa Funtua, who is an old friend of the president, Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun state and Senate president Bukola Saraki. Sahara Reporters however, did not disclose what was disclosed in the said meeting. See the tweet by Sahara Reporters below:

https://twitter.com/SaharaReporters/status/916110343356735488

The national publicity secretary of the PDP national caretaker committee, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, at a press conference on Thursday, October 5, ‎ expressed shock at the silence of President Buhari on the allegation. ‎PDP said that allegations levelled against Baru by Kachikwu were too grave to be swept under the carpet, insisting that the NNPC GMD should be treated like an accused person who should not have the opportunity to influence the investigation into his alleged misdeeds. It therefore, called for the ‎immediate suspension of the Baru so that proper investigation could be carried out by the relevant anti-corruption agencies.